In the News
The Biocidal Products Committee (BPC) of the European Chemical Agency has adopted three opinions supporting the approval of active substances for use in biocidal products used as insecticides and antifouling products, and one opinion proposing the non-approval of one active substance for disinfecting drinking water. • Dichlofluanid for antifouling products (product-type 21). • Silcium dioxide Kieselguhr for insecticides, acaricides and products to control other arthropods (product-type 18). • Pyrogenic, synthetic amorphous silicon dioxide, nano, surface treated for insecticides, acaricides and products to control other arthropods (product-type 18).
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has responded to comments about noise off the Sussex coast generated by the development of the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm.
Following discussions with the developer, E.On, changes to their processes to reduce noise impact. These include:
installing noise-reducing acoustic panels around pump equipment onshore (which for safety reasons has to run continuously) reducing speed of vessels and using anchors so that engines can be turned off scheduling maintenance activities where noisy tools are required to be in day time only instructing vessels leaving Shoreham Port at night to follow a different route in order to minimise impact on residences at Shoreham BeachThe developer has also committed to avoiding piling activity overnight when weather conditions mean excessive noise may carry to shore, for example during warm, still nights.
Manual handling – Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 – Guidance on Regulations.
Changes since the last edition
The publication has been restructured into four parts, with the regulations and brief guidance in Part 1 and more detailed guidance to help carry out risk assessments and control risks in Parts 2-4. Colour coding helps to identify the different parts. The appendix contains risk filters which help identify those tasks that do not require a detailed assessment. It explains how HSE’s assessment tools can be used as part of the risk assessment process. The full risk assessment checklists are now online only and do not appear in the book. It reflects changes introduced for the self-employed by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (General Duties of Self-Employed Persons) (Prescribed Undertakings) Regulations 2015 and the Deregulation Act 2015 (Health and Safety at Work)(General Duties of Self-Employed Persons) (Consequential Amendments) Order 2015.A copy can be found on the Simplifi website.